BILL NUMBER: SB 576 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 10, 2000
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JULY 6, 2000
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 31, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 27, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 19, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 22, 1999
INTRODUCED BY Senator McPherson
(Principal coauthor: Senator Vasconcellos)
FEBRUARY 23, 1999
An act relating to higher education, and making an appropriation
therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 576, McPherson. California Postsecondary Education Commission:
strategic action plan for language development, teaching, and
learning.
Existing law establishes the California Postsecondary Education
Commission, which is required to prepare a state plan for
postsecondary education.
This bill would appropriate for expenditure, without regard to
fiscal year, $90,000 from the General Fund to the commission. The
sum would be available for expenditure for the purpose of preparing
and submitting to the Governor, certain Members of the Legislature,
and prescribed state officials, a long-term, self-sustaining
strategic action plan for language development, teaching, and
learning. The bill would also require the commission to enter into a
contract with the Center for Intensive Language and Culture, if
specified events occur.
Appropriation: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) California is a growing state whose population is becoming
ever more diverse, especially with respect to race, nationality,
national origin, and language.
(2) This diversity is a strength that can be capitalized upon by
the state, with respect to both the enrichment of our culture and our
capacity to engage profitably in foreign trade and the global
economy.
(3) Our need for advanced language instruction is now greater than
ever because:
(A) One in three California residents report speaking a primary
language other than English in the home.
(B) Residents of our state speak more languages and represent more
cultures than the residents of any other state in our nation.
(4) The capacity of our state and people to be so enriched and
prosperous is largely dependent upon the development of the capacity
of our people to become fluent in the various respective languages of
other nations and cultures.
(5) California is home to the language capitol of the world in the
Monterey Bay region, which has utilized our state's diversity in
uncommon and valuable ways to create jobs for more than 3,000 people,
and to provide learning opportunities for thousands more. At least
30 languages are now being taught in the tricounty region, and there
is the potential to quadruple that number.
(6) The development of a strategic action plan for the coordinated
enlistment of all those schools, universities, institutions, and
organizations in preparing California's diverse population to become
language-proficient for global commerce and social benefit would
serve the best interests of the State of California.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to help prepare the people
of California for the increased use of, and demand for, instruction
and training in underutilized, underrepresented, and globally
"strategic" languages by commissioning the development of a strategic
action plan for maximizing California's capacity to develop and
utilize the language teaching, learning, and use needs of the people
of California. This effort could especially provide for enhanced
instruction in the field of "less commonly taught languages."
SEC. 2. (a) The California Postsecondary Education Commission
shall prepare a long-term, self-sustaining California strategic
action plan for language development, teaching, and learning.
(b) The commission shall conduct and coordinate this effort by
bringing together a representative advisory group reflecting the
myriad of public and private, local, state, and federal postsecondary
universities, institutions, and organizations in California that
specialize in language learning.
(c) (1) On or before January 1, 2002, the commission shall prepare
a language learning strategic action plan in accordance with this
section, and submit it for consideration to the Governor and to the
Members of the Legislature and the other persons specified in
paragraph (2).
(2) Copies of the plan prepared under this section shall be
submitted to all of the following:
(A) The leaders of the political parties of both houses of the
Legislature.
(B) The chairs of the education, higher education, and local
government policy committees of both houses of the Legislature.
(C) The Secretary of Education, the President of the University of
California, the Chancellor of the California State University, and
the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
(d) This plan shall consist of a two-part study conducted by the
commission pertaining to postsecondary foreign language programs
statewide as follows:
(1) Part I shall consist of the study and evaluation of existing
programs to focus specifically on, but not necessarily limited to,
the following areas:
(A) An inventory of existing programs statewide.
(B) A market analysis and demand pattern, if any, pertaining to
foreign language programs statewide, including underutilized,
underrepresented, and strategic languages.
(C) The identification of the potential for interinstitution
collaboration and sharing of resources including public-private
partnerships.
(D) The potential for technology enhanced instruction and distance
education.
(2) Part II shall consist of statewide findings and
recommendations as follows:
(A) The conclusions and policy recommendations with respect to
future language learning needs pertinent to economic development,
international commerce, and cultural development.
(B) An evaluation of California's existing foreign language
resources , with specific policy or technical recommendations
concerning how they may be better utilized by the state.
(C) Any conclusions regarding trends in language use and demand
patterns in California.
(D) Any recommendations for possible methods of future
collaboration in the field of language instruction and training among
public and private schools, universities, institutions, and
organizations that specialize in language learning.
SEC. 3. (a) The sum of ninety thousand dollars ($90,000) is hereby
appropriated for expenditure, without regard to fiscal year, from
the General Fund to the California Postsecondary Education Commission
for purposes of funding the strategic action plan required by
Section 2 of this act.
(b) No funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) may be
encumbered unless and until the executive director of the commission
certifies both of the following to the Controller:
(1) Private sector contributions of at least fifty thousand
dollars ($50,000) have been received, on or before January 1, 2001,
by the commission on behalf of the Center for Intensive Language and
Culture, located in the City of Monterey, for purposes that the
executive director of the commission deems to be compatible with the
purposes of this act.
(2) The executive director of the commission has determined that
there is sufficient continuing contact between the commission and the
center to ensure the implementation of this act.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
(1) Upon receipt by the commission of at least twenty thousand
dollars ($20,000) in private sector contributions of the fifty
thousand dollars ($50,000) described in paragraph (1) of subdivision
(b), the commission may use that twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) to
contract with the center for work related to the preparation of the
strategic action plan.
(2) The executive director shall contract with the center for a
total contract amount of at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of
the private sector funds.
(3) Nothing in this section precludes the executive director from
entering into additional contracts with the center for work related
to the preparation of the action plan using the public funds
appropriated by subdivision (a).